Rogershttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/245/all
enAT&T First U.S. Carrier with LTE Roaming in Canada -- But It'll Cost Youhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_first_us_carrier_lte_roaming_canada_itll_cost_you
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/att_rethink_possible_620px.jpg" alt="AT&amp;T rethink possible" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>AT&amp;T subscribers whose travel plans this holiday season involve a trip to visit our neighbors up north will be now be able to roam with 4G LTE data speeds -- provided you're willing to pay for it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=25149&amp;cdvn=news&amp;newsarticleid=37333&amp;mapcode=consumer%7Cmk-att-wireless-networks&amp;sf20402592=1" target="_blank">AT&amp;T announced Monday</a> that it has become the first U.S. carrier to offer international LTE roaming as part of a new deal with Rogers Communications in Canada, which will be offered as part of the carrier's Data Global Add-On packages.<br /><br />With nearly 42 percent of AT&amp;T postpaid smartphone customers now using LTE-equipped devices, travel to Canada no longer means having to suffer the indignity of an old-school 4G or even 3G network. Rogers LTE now covers 70 percent of Canadians, with 95 new markets launched in 2013.<br /><br />“Our agreement with Rogers affirms our commitment to deliver superior international coverage to our customers,” said Bill Hague, executive vice president, International, Alliances and Integrations, AT&amp;T Mobility. “AT&amp;T customers already have access to the nation’s fastest, most reliable 4G LTE network while in the United States and now they can enjoy LTE speeds while roaming in Canada.”<br /><br />And now the bad news: LTE roaming in Canada will cost you extra, with Data Global Add-On packages starting at $30 per month for 120MB, with 300MB for $60 per month and 800MB for $120 per month, which you'll surely burn through even faster now.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/att_first_us_carrier_lte_roaming_canada_itll_cost_you#commentsNews4G LTEAT&TCanadaCanadiancell phone industrydata bucketdata roaminginternationalLTERoamingRogersiPhoneTue, 10 Dec 2013 14:36:13 +0000J.R. Bookwalter18826 at http://www.maclife.comCanadian Usage-Based Internet Billing: A Money Play by Large ISPshttp://www.maclife.com/article/blogs/canadian_usagebased_internet_billing_money_play_large_isps
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u286882/canada200.jpg" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />During the same week that President Obama pledged to bring broadband internet to every corner of the United States, America’s neighbors to the north were shocked to discover that usage-based internet billing, would be implemented in the spring this year by the <a href="http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/home-accueil.htm" target="_blank">CRTC</a> (Canada's version of the FCC). This effectively hamstrings worry-free access to online and downloadable content for millions of Canadians, as well as limiting their ability to upload content for the rest of the world to enjoy.</p><p>In Canada, we're used to usage caps. If you purchase your internet service from one of the larger national companies--Bell, Rogers or Telus for example--you'll know that the majority of the plans they offer to consumers come with a data usage cap. In most cases, heavy bandwidth users who engage in P2P sharing or marathon-length online gaming sessions never sweat the amount of gigabytes they shift. This is because most of the caps employed by ISPs in this country are usually applied to economy-priced internet packages, aimed at casual users and feature slower download speeds. If you have the need for higher speeds, like gamers or those slinging files around the interwebz would, you'd have to invest in a more expensive tier of service that offered more bandwidth at higher speeds. Alternately, you could also seek out service from a smaller, provider as, in order to compete against larger national networks, many local ISPs offer unlimited internet packages for an insanely low monthly price. Unfortunately, due to the new billing regulations due to come into effect on March 1, the competitive playing field has been leveled.</p><p>Thanks to some clever lobbying by Canada's largest internet service providers, the bandwidth caps that had once been imposing on their lower-priced internet bundles as a way of upselling their customers, have in effect, become law. This means that every Canadian ISP will be forced to place a cap on their data plans, effectively removing any chance smaller companies have of being able to compete.&nbsp;</p><p>Universal data caps also mean that every Canadian internet user, no matter what company or service bundle they subscribe to, run the risk of incurring additional costs should they exceed their monthly usage allowance. Many pundits feel that almost universally, companies will set their usage caps at a meager 20GB of up and down stream traffic per month. This doesn't bode well for the future of bandwidth-heavy services such as Apple's iTunes, online gaming, or Netflix, the latter being the biggest pity, as it hasn't really had a chance to come into its own yet.</p><p>Having only launched last fall, Canadians still don't enjoy the extensive movie library that Americans take for granted. Still, it’s our first, best taste of unlimited television and movies on demand. When paired with iTunes’ extensive library of movies, videos, and podcasts to fill in the gaps that Netflix can’t manage, there are fewer and fewer reasons to maintain a cable or satellite subscription. With this being the case, it's interesting to note that all of Canada's major internet service providers also have also have significant stakes in cable or satellite television delivery.</p><p>This my friends, is where the usage based billing metal meets the meat.</p><p>Let’s say that you’re a <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/mac_gaming_powers" target="_self">Team Fortress 2</a> and <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_cataclysm_review" target="_self">WoW</a> junkie, who after blasting and slashing away your Saturday afternoon online, decides you’d like to download a movie from iTunes to watch with the family later in the evening. You’ve already tapped out your base internet usage cap after a half month’s worth of online gaming and Netflix streaming. That means that in order to download a flick from the iTunes store, you’re gonna incur additional download charges on your monthly internet bill. With per-byte fees set by the CRTC at <a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/02/01/usage-based-billing-hits-canada-say-goodbye-to-internet-innovation/" target="_blank">$1.90 per GB</a>, downloading a new release HD movie from iTunes will cost you $32.59—$24.99 for the movie (we pay more up here), and then an additional $7.90 to cover the 4 GB download. While your ISP won't be able to help you with the high cost of the download, they might try to persuade you towards using their company’s movies on-demand service: Available to all of their television subscribers who opt for one of their high-end bundles and rent an HD video set top box from them.</p><p>Get the picture? Good. So do a whole lot of Canadians. Usage-based billing isn't anything but a money grab. It will, by virtue of the extra costs associated with exceeding the cap, limit the amount of online access Canadians have with the rest of the world. It will also&nbsp; limit how much access the world will have with Canada, as Canadians who want to upload films, share their research or use the internet to make their living will all be subject to the same usage caps and overage prices. This means that Canadian artists, scholars and business all suffer as a result.</p><p>In the past few weeks, an online movement against the new regulations has been growing, with one petition demanding the new regulations that had a measly 30,000 signatures to over 300,000 in under seven days. The Canadian government is all over this one as well, and has sworn that if the new regulations are not reversed by the CRTC, they will <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/crtc-will-rescind-unlimited-use-internet-decision-or-ottawa-will-overturn-it/article1892522/" target="_blank">intervene</a> on behalf of the Canadian people. As this story was written, the head of the CRTC was in <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/crtc-head-called-before-committee-over-usage-based-billing/article1892032/" target="_blank">meeting</a> with the Canadian government's Standing Committee on Industry. The meeting was called as part of the Canadian government's investigation into the new billing regulations. With any luck, the country's parliament will stick to their guns and overturn the CRTC's decision to implement usage based billing. We'll just have to wait and see.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SeamusBellamy" target="_blank">Seamus Bellamy on Twitter</a></em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/blogs/canadian_usagebased_internet_billing_money_play_large_isps#commentsNewsBlogsBellCanadaCogecoInternetISPOp-EdRogersShawTelusThe Natives Are AngryUseage Based BillingThu, 03 Feb 2011 20:51:11 +0000Seamus Bellamy9791 at http://www.maclife.comOh Canada: iBookstore Approved, Rogers Unlocking iPhoneshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/oh_canada_ibookstore_approved_rogers_unlocking_iphones
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/iphone_rogers_logo_200px.png" alt="iPhone on Rogers" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />Better late than never, the Canadian government has finally approved that country’s version of the iBookstore, while carrier Rogers is starting to unlock iPhones that are out of their contract or purchased unsubsidized.<br /><a href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/12/15/canadian_ibookstore_approved_rogers_to_unlock_iphones.html" target="_blank"><br />AppleInsider is reporting</a> on a pair of Apple-centric stories out of Canada. The first report comes from the Ministry of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, who announced Tuesday that they have granted “formal approval of Apple’s iBookstore,” <a href="http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/12/14/more.content.diversity.promotion.promised/" target="_blank">according to a report from MacNN</a>.<br /><br />"Our Government is committed to strengthening Canada's economy through all its sectors, especially arts and culture," said Minister James Moore in a press release. "Apple has demonstrated how iBookstore Canada represents new opportunities for Canadian authors and publishers, and I have determined that this investment will be of net benefit to Canada."<br /><br />Of course, Canada is split between English and French languages, and as such the Canadian iBookstore will serve both parties, including publishing the work of Canadian authors both in their native land as well as internationally. Apple has had a limited version of iBookstore already available, mostly with shelves full of paid works from U.S. authors as well as public domain titles.<br /><br />Meanwhile, if you have an iPhone on the Rogers network in Canada, you may have just found one less reason to jailbreak your device. Customers who have completed their contracts or purchased an unsubsidized handset now qualify to unlock their device for a mere $50 fee plus applicable taxes, <a href="http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/iphone-news/fido-introduces-new-device-unlocking-policy-iphone-included/" target="_blank">according to iPhone in Canada</a>.<br /><br />The unlocking deal also applies to Fido, a subsidiary brand of Rogers. One such user, Argun Tekant, successfully got his iPhone 3GS unlocked through Fido and immediately tested it with AT&amp;T, O2 U.K. and Wind SIMs to verify that it does indeed work.<br /><br />To get your Canadian device unlocked, customers “must have an account in good standing; have finished their contract or paid the unsubsidized cost for the device 30 days prior and unlock a device that is listed in their equipment history.”<br /><br />Sounds good to us -- AT&amp;T, are you reading this?<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of TalkiPhone.com)</em></p><p><em><br /></em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/oh_canada_ibookstore_approved_rogers_unlocking_iphones#commentsNewsCanadaiBookstoreRogersUnlocked iPhone 3GSiPhoneWed, 15 Dec 2010 13:50:02 +0000J.R. Bookwalter9233 at http://www.maclife.comVideo: Great White Northerner Gets Great White iPhone 4, Unboxes Ithttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/video_great_white_northerner_gets_great_white_iphone_4_unboxes_it
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/white_iphone_4_unboxing_380px.jpg" alt="White iPhone 4 unboxed" width="380" height="214" /><br /><em>(Image and video courtesy of 9to5Mac)</em><br /><br />After numerous delays, you might be wondering if a white version of the iPhone 4 truly exists (beyond Apple’s website tease, that is). Indeed it does, as one luck son of a -- er, dude -- shows in a video unboxing up in Ontario, Canada.<br /><a href="http://9to5mac.com/white-iphone-4-unboxing-and-walkthrough-video?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed:+9To5Mac-MacAllDay+(9+to+5+Mac+-+Apple+Intelligence)" target="_blank"><br />9to5Mac has scored a video unboxing</a> (which they have generously uploaded to their own YouTube account so we can embed it here) of the elusive white iPhone 4 -- you know, the one that Apple has already delayed several times, reportedly due to “defects in the white color clarity” and also due to possible light leakage.<br /><br />By now you might be thinking you’ve got a better shot at seeing Bigfoot than actually witnessing a white iPhone 4, but here’s the video evidence to the contrary.<br /><br /><a href="http://9to5mac.com/white-iphone-4-unboxing-and-walkthrough-video?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed:+9To5Mac-MacAllDay+(9+to+5+Mac+-+Apple+Intelligence)" target="_blank">9to5Mac notes</a> that this Canadian’s white iPhone 4 unboxing includes a SIM ejection tool (which was notably absent from at least the U.S. model tied to AT&amp;T), suggesting that perhaps this could be an “international model scrapped by Apple at the last minute.”<br /><br />Most hilarious, the proud owner of this new white iPhone 4 brazenly boasts about how he had to jailbreak and unlock his new friend so he could use it on Rogers, his native carrier in the Great White North. Now Apple has a reason to hate this guy twice as much -- instead of only once, like the rest of us.<br /><br />And no, we don’t know the guy’s name or address, so you can’t head north to jack him with a sock full of pennies for his unlocked white iPhone 4…<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/WE7LY5lq9mc&amp;feature" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WE7LY5lq9mc&amp;feature" /></object><br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em><br /><br /></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/video_great_white_northerner_gets_great_white_iphone_4_unboxes_it#commentsNewsCanadaiphone 4RogersUnboxingwhite iphone 4iPhoneFri, 20 Aug 2010 12:07:53 +0000J.R. Bookwalter7998 at http://www.maclife.comCanadians Yell, Rogers Listenshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/canadians_yell_rogers_listens
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u32/0709_rogers_380.jpg" width="380" height="209" /> </p>
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<p>Change came fast and swift as Canadians in unison said hell no, to Rogers Wireless, and their <a href="/article/news/canadians_react_rogers%E2%80%99_iphone_data_plan">original data usage plans</a> for the new iPhone 3G. The original plans ranged from $60 for 400 megabytes to $115 for 2 gigabytes of data usage and customers were locked into a three-year contract. </p>
<p>Rogers Wireless, and its carrier partner Fido, have announced a new data usage plan allowing new iPhone customers to signup for a $30 per month 6GB data plan through August 31 -- a limited time promotion. Rogers’ customers under a voice contract can select a separate data plan after checking their upgrade eligibility. </p>
<p>According to Rogers, “6GB of data should be sufficient to view 35,952 web pages, exchange 157,286 emails, or watch 6,292 minutes of YouTube videos each and every month.” </p>
<p>Rogers and Fido seem convinced that customers will approve of the new promotional usage plan because they are opening selected stores early in anticipation of giddy Canadians waiting in line to buy their new iPhone. Early bird customers will be treated to breakfast and can win prizes. Maybe something cool like a Rogers Wireless t-shirt. Eh?</p>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/news/canadians_yell_rogers_listens#commentsNewsCanadaiPhone LaunchRogersiPhoneWed, 09 Jul 2008 20:21:54 +0000Craig Young2452 at http://www.maclife.comNo iPhones for Canadian Retail Storeshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/no_iphones_canadian_retail_stores
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u53/noiphoneincanada.jpg" width="380" height="307" /></p>
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<p>It appears that <a href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/07/08/spat_with_rogers_leaves_canadian_apple_stores_without_iphones.html">the iPhone hype will not translate over to Canadian Apple Retail Stores</a> because Rogers Wireless, the service carrier originally planning to debut the iPhone 3G, offered up an unreasonably limited wireless plan.</p>
<p>Rogers Wireless plans to lock subscribers into long-term 3-year contracts that require a minimum plan of $60 for 150 minutes, 75 text messages, and 400MB of data. A representative for Apple claims that the service plans were not the reason for canceling shipment to its Canadian stores. However, Apple’s reaction could’ve been motivated by <a href="/article/news/canadians_react_rogers%E2%80%99_iphone_data_plan">public outrage from Canadian consumers</a> furious over the company’s pricing plans. </p>
<p>The Canadian service provider has released official statements claiming that the majority of international carriers have capped data and unlimited data plans usually charge customers more for what they don’t use.</p>
http://www.maclife.com/article/news/no_iphones_canadian_retail_stores#commentsNewsCanadaiPhone LaunchRogersiPhoneTue, 08 Jul 2008 23:51:52 +0000Florence Ion2445 at http://www.maclife.comCanadians React to Rogers’ iPhone Data Planhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/canadians_react_rogers%E2%80%99_iphone_data_plan
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u32/0630_canada_450.jpg" alt="Canadian iPhone " width="380" height="209" /><br /><strong>You’re not my buddy, Rogers.</strong></p>
<p>Canadians have been waiting for the iPhone for more than a year. But now, with the phone set to arrive in Canadian stores on July 11, anticipation has been replaced with disappointment and anger.</p>
<p>Why the bad feelings? Because Rogers Wireless, the only provider (along with it’s subsidiary, Fido) with the GSM technology needed to use the phone, has <a href="/article/rogers_announces_iphone_rate_plan">announced data plans for the iPhone</a> that are leaving many potential customers scratching their heads.</p>
<p>Canadians have always paid more for both their voice and data plans, regardless of their provider, compared to almost every developed country in the world. But the iPhone’s data-centric feature set and innovative design led many to believe that change was in the air.</p>
<p>Instead, Canadian iPhone fans got more of the same, with plans that ranged from $60 for 400 megabytes to $115 for 2 gigabytes of data usage. Users are locked into a three year contract, and no unlimited plan was offered. Response online was swift.</p>
<p>“Not only do they roll out the most ridiculous of rate plans, compared to practically any other first world country, but they leave their current clients scratching their heads wondering if they’ll be part of the spectacle that will be July 11th in Canada. I, for one, will NOT be a part of the spectacle,” Vancouver blogger and social media expert ,Tanya Davis said on her blog, <a href="http://www.netchick.ca/" target="_blank">netchick.ca</a>.</p>
<p>And she wasn’t alone in her dismay with the new plans. <a href="http://www.johnbiehler.com/" target="_blank">John Biehler</a>, who bought and unlocked the first-gen iPhone soon after it came out last year, is wary of how a crippling lack of an unlimited data plan will be for users.</p>
<p>“Rogers missed a huge opportunity to get a lot of new customers by not offering some form of unlimited data plan. The App Store alone will most likely consume a lot of data simply browsing it, let alone downloading any of the apps. Combine that with the GPS feature of the iPhone 3G and users will be using a ton of data, and they haven't even checked their email yet,” Beihler said.</p>
<p>Data use isn’t the only reason, Canadians are disappointed with Rogers’ plans. <a href="http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/" target="_blank">Tim Bray</a>, Director of Web Technologies at Sun Microsystems, is concerned that those who travel will be unfairly penalized by restrictive data usage rates.</p>
<p>“Those of us who need the mobile Web access the most are those who travel a lot, and Canadians who travel a lot tend to travel to the States a lot. Unless there's some sort of sensible cross-border data plan, the iPhone just isn't an option for me,” Bray said.</p>
<p>But not everyone who buys the iPhone is expecting a higher bill from Rogers. For some, the new plans will actually mean substantial savings.</p>
<p>“For me, it’s much better than what I’m shelling out now. I’d save nearly $100/month,” broadcaster and blogger <a href="http://www.todmaffin.com/blog" target="_blank">Tod Maffin</a> said.</p>
<p>Maffin is currently paying $100 for 200 megabytes of data, along with additional voice and texting fees that push his monthly bill up to $172. With the cheapest iPhone 3G plan, he’ll get 400 megabytes of data, along with more voice options for $75.</p>
<p>But for many, the giddy thrill of lining up for an iPhone on July 11 has now been replaced with anger and contempt. Rogers and Apple have been preparing their retail staff to deal with an onslaught of new customers, but the new data rates may inadvertently put a damper, not only on the enthusiasm of Canadian iPhone fans, but on sales as well.</p>
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http://www.maclife.com/article/news/canadians_react_rogers%E2%80%99_iphone_data_plan#commentsNewsiPhone LaunchRogersTue, 01 Jul 2008 19:29:56 +0000Warren Frey2384 at http://www.maclife.com